Electric meters, such as watt-hour meters, are commonly used in the electric utility industry, where they are generally utilized to measure the amount of electrical power used at a residential or commercial building location. To secure the electric meter, a meter box or cabinet is generally mounted outside the building, such as on one of the sidewalls of the building. The meter box often contains a meter socket in which the electric meter plugs into during use. The meter socket comprises line terminals that connect to the electric power line conductors extending from a utility power source and load terminals that connect to the residential or commercial building consuming the incoming line power.
In one common design, the line and load terminals of the meter socket are designed to receive blade terminals extending outward from the base of the electric meter. Once plugged into the meter socket, the electric meter completes an electric circuit between the line and load terminals of the meter socket. As electricity is transferred from the line terminals to the load terminals (e.g., from the utility line power source to the building), the electric meter measures the amount of electricity provided.
Typically, when electrical service to a particular site or building is desired to be disconnected, a utility service person is dispatched to the particular building and removes the electric meter. To reconnect the electrical service, the same or another service person must be sent out to reinstall the electric meter. However, circumstances, such as theft and vandalism, may cause electrical circuitry of the building to become unsafe before the electric meter is reconnected. Thus, the service person reconnecting the electric meter may be in danger in reconnecting the meter unless the hazardous condition is identified.